GARDEN GROVE – Representatives from Wisconsin-based Great Wolf Resorts gave residents and other community members an idea of what a water park resort on Harbor Boulevard might look and feel like.

Spokesman Steve Shattuck said at a meeting Wednesday night that if completed, the Great Wolf Lodge in Garden Grove would be the company’s largest indoor-outdoor water park in the United States. So far, Great Wolf has 11 resorts in the United States and one in Canada.

The water park hotel resort proposed on Harbor south of Lampson Avenue is in Garden Grove’s InternationalWEST resort area, about two miles south of Disneyland. The resort would feature a 12-story, 600-room hotel with 30,000 square feet of meeting space and an attached, 130,000-square-foot, indoor and outdoor water park. City officials expect the project to bring in $8.5 million in property, sales and bed taxes each year and up to 600 construction and permanent jobs.

Residents who attended the meeting expressed concerns about the aesthetics of the project, traffic, congestion and emergency access. Several said they wondered how a 6-story ride called the Howlin’ Tornado is going to look facing Harbor.

“We won’t be issuing day passes to the water park except on rare occasions when we have special events,” he said. “Keeping it exclusive gives our guests a level of safety and great value for the money.”

Shattuck said Garden Grove is a perfect location for a Great Wolf Lodge.

“You have Disneyland, California Adventure, Knott’s Berry Farm, the beaches,” he said. “This would be another great destination for tourists or even local families that want a weekend vacation.”

Trae Rigby, director of construction development for Colorado-based developer McWhinney, said the project will become a reality when financing is obtained.

“That is always the big factor,” he said. “It’s going to be tough and challenging, but not impossible.”

The city has agreed to pay $42 million upfront to the developer in light of the tight financing situation through redevelopment bonds.

About 20 people came to the meeting Wednesday night. Several said they support the water park hotel and believe it will bring in revenue for the city.

But, there are concerns about aesthetics, traffic and congestion in the area.

Keith Riley, a 26-year resident, said he is happy to welcome the new development, but does not understand why “the city must front the money for the project.”

Riley said he is also concerned about the Howlin’ Tornado ride.

“Well, it looks like a funnel turned upside down and a pile of worms from a third grade science project,” Riley said. “I’m worried that it could become an eyesore.”

Shattuck said he has never heard such a comment with regard to the Howlin’ Tornado, Great Wolf’s signature ride.

“It’s basically this six-story drop where riders get flushed through the structure and out of it,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun and by far, our most popular attraction. It’s the ‘wow factor’ in all our resorts.”

Resident Greg Schlup said he doesn’t like the way the ride looks in the rendering.

“If that’s going to be facing Harbor Boulevard as it appears to be, then I’m concerned about the visual effect,” he said.

Charles Dang, a neighbor on Lido Lane right next to the proposed resort, said he is concerned that his street, a cul-de-sac, could be used as an emergency fire access to the resort.

“We were never told about it and found out by coincidence,” he said. “It seems like it would be an unauthorized use of the street and we weren’t informed.”

City Planner Lee Marino said the city and developer are in talks with residents to work out a solution. Rigby said the plan is to use the street as an emergency access only when Harbor Boulevard is closed for some reason.

“We want to be good neighbors and we’re working on finding a solution,” he said.

Deepa Bharath covers religion for The Orange County Register and the Southern California Newspaper Group. Her work is focused on how religion, race and ethnicity shape our understanding of what it is to be American and how religion in particular helps influence public policies, laws and a region's culture. Deepa also writes about race, cultures and social justice issues. She has covered a number of other beats ranging from city government to breaking news for the Register since May 2006. She has received fellowships from the International Women's Media Foundation and the International Center for Journalists to report stories about reconciliation, counter-extremism and peace-building efforts around the world. When she is not working, she loves listening to Indian classical music and traveling with her husband and son.

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